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November Expectations

Writober Recap This Writober was a huge success. Thank you everyone who participated, linking up their images, poems, and stories. Your work was intriguing, thought provoking, entertaining, and fun. And you kept me inspired to keep working every day. Congratulations to Circe of Baldacchino di Perla, ladyleemanila, Carol anne at Therapy Bits, and A.M. Moscoso at My Enduring Bones for the scary…

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The Writober Finale

Fighting the Fear of Death by Maria L. Berg 2024 These are my responses to the final Writober prompt post Fear of Death. OctPoWriMo Living With Fear of DeathColor of the distant object deceivesThe slice of cloud dismembered from the skybecomes filthy while falling and floating byThe dead end road ends abruptlyI can’t taste the poison but it’s thereI will never hear his voice and not feel…

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Cruel Acts

Fear of an Act of God by Maria L. Berg 2024 These are my responses to the Writober prompt post Fear of Acts of God. OctPoWriMo When They Blame God I can’t imagine how peopleblamed the city, everyone inthe city for being hit by a hurricane, but they did.So many said we deserved itfor our beliefs and our actions.Some said that God was punishing usbut aren’t we all victims of acts of God? Do…

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Fear of Acts of God

Welcome back for the thirtieth day of Writober. We are in our final days looking at the fifth universal fear: fear of extinction. Today, we’re looking at Acts of God, storms and other large events that are out of our control. Fear of Acts of God by Maria L. Berg 2022 Fear of Acts of God is the same as fear of bad luck, similar to fear of fate or destiny, but I mostly see it as fear of bad…

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Predator Attack

Fear of Predators by Maria L. Berg 2024 These are my responses to the Writober prompt post Fear of Predators. OctPoWriMo Predation I am the field mouse runningthrough the tall grass underthe sliver moon’s pencil lightEach push or pull changingpressure above me is a hungry winged monsterI zig-zag. I serpentine.So many eyes like search-lightscriss-cross this prairieHere it comes, the swoopI’m…

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Fear of Predators

Welcome back for the twenty-ninth day of Writober. We are in our final days looking at the fifth universal fear: fear of extinction. Today we’re looking at fear of predators. Fear of Predators by Maria L. Berg 2023 Fear of predators is hard-wired into the human psyche from cave man days, but today, a human is as likely to be the predator as a bear or mountain lion, or more so depending on where…

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The Path to Extinction

Fear of Extinction by Maria L. Berg 2024 These are my responses to the Writober prompt post Fear of Extinction. OctPoWriMo The Doomsday Clock at Midnight We are starlightOnce seen, we are already dying We are leavesmost colorful when falling We are echoeswhen heard, long since said Writober Flash Fiction The Power of Words Melinda curled into her knees, shivering on the floor in her…

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Fear of Extinction

Welcome back for the twenty-eighth day of Writober. The month has flown by like a ghost-witch on a rocket-powered broom, and here we are in our final days looking at the fifth universal fear: fear of extinction. The big fear, the fear that rules them all death, master of the fear of the unknown. Fear of Extinction by Maria L. Berg 2024 Fear of extinction is not only the fear of death, but…

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Losing Sense

Fear of Losing a Sense by Maria L. Berg 2024 These are my responses to the Writober prompt post Fear of Loss of a Sense. OctPoWriMo Fear of Losing My Senses If I couldn’t hear his purrsmorning cuddles would be likemushy-mashed-peas-with-body- odor after three days If I couldn’t feel his soft furmorning cuddles would be likecar-horns-blaring-bitter-neon-green motor-oil If I couldn’t see his…

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Fear of Loss of a Sense

Welcome back for the twenty-seventh day of Writober. It’s Sunday, and the last day we’ll be looking at the universal fear of loss of a sense. Loss of Sense by Maria L. Berg 2024 Fear of loss of a sense to most, I think, would instantly be the fear of losing sight, but what about not being able to hear, or feel touch? My father lost his sense of smell, and can’t taste anything (a package deal).…

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Parasitic Clarity

Fear of Parasites by Maria L. Berg 2024 These are my responses to the Writober prompt post Fear of Parasites. OctPoWriMo I started a poem that grew with each line like a parasitic tapeworm, but I like the Clarity Pyramid form so much, I wrote one of those to share instead. FEARof allparasites tiniest monstersslip into our systemsfeeding on us to our demise “he says he recalls memory…

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Fear of Parasites

Welcome back for the twenty-sixth day of Writober. During this fourth week we’re exploring the universal fear of mutilation. Today we’re looking at fear of parasites. Fear of Parasites by Maria L. Berg 2021 A parasite is an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other’s expense. Many great horror movies like the Alien…

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Torture Chamber

A Fear of Torture by Maria L. Berg 2024 These are my responses to the Writober prompt post Fear of Torture. OctPoWriMo But to What Specific Purpose? It’s broken, and I can’t fix itThis complicated warning systemmeant to keep me from harmhas too many switches stuck onfiring and firing its alarmsbut like the broken light switchin the hall, they flicker, sendingnew jolts to the already…

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Fear of Torture

Welcome back for the twenty-fifth day of Writober. During this fourth week we’re exploring the universal fear of mutilation. Today we’re looking at fear of torture. Fear of Torture by Maria L. Berg 2024 Amnesty International put out this video about their efforts to stop torture around the world: Though I find the title “Torture Animation” off-putting, the message about the reality of fear of…

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Being Dismembered

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Fear of Dismemberment

Welcome back for the twenty-fourth day of Writober. During this fourth week we’re exploring the universal fear of mutilation. Today we’re looking at fear of dismemberment. Fear of Dismemberment by Maria L. Berg 2024 While looking at fear of dismemberment this morning, I came across something very scary and interesting. There is a rare mental condition called Body Integrity Dysphoria “where you…

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Fending Off Attacks

Fear of Attack by Maria L. Berg 2024 These are my responses to the Writober prompt post Fear of Attack. OctPoWriMo Attack Attention Beware the crows circling the cornfieldand the childrenbehind the rowswhere are their parents? Pay attention when rottingwood gives way, trapsyour ankle, and you heargiant scissors somewhereWhy do you smell bacon? Stay alert when the sky’sneon-green and…